World’s 50 best surf spots

Everyone who’s been to the beach in the last 50 years is influenced by surf culture.

If you’ve ever listened to a Beach Boys record (most of the guys in the group didn’t surf) or donned a pair of baggy shorts or looked wistfully out at the breakers and dreamed of an endless summer of waves and bonfires with the perfect surfer guy or girl on your arm, you can claim a connection to surf culture.

That’s why even if you’re the type who sits on the beach with your toes planted firmly in the sand, the world’s best surf spots still matter.

To get you to them, we asked the editors of Surfing Magazine to help us compile picks for the world’s greatest surf spots (our top 10 is heavily influenced by theirs), adding them to a mix of contributions from pro surfers and our own experiences.

50. Wave to nowhere.

50. Eisbach, Munich

The most unusual wave on the list is found on an artificial river next to Englischer Garten, Munich’s main park. It’s completely landlocked.

This one meter standing wave (meaning you don’t move along the river, but surf in the same spot) is created by water pumped fast against a large rock, forming a crest.

As long as there’s enough water the ride never stops … until you fall.

49. Baja Malibu, Baja Norte, Mexico

Though water cleanliness is an issue (don’t swallow any), this exposed break works when offshore winds blow in from the east. You can ride both right and left and fall onto a sandy base.

48. Fulong Beach, Taiwan

48. Not huge waves, but a mellow scene and good camping.

In northeast Taiwan, Fulong Beach has great camping nearby and produces thrilling right- and left-peeling waves from a sandbar.

Waves range from one to two meters.

47. Surin Beach, Phuket, Thailand

Though Thailand isn’t a world-class spot, we like the location, the warm opaque waters, fresh pad Thai at street stalls and raucous nightlife.

46. Great winter surfing.

46. Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka

Not just a great surf spot with a right-hand peak, surfers here share the beach with wild monkeys and elephants that graze in the forest nearby.

45. Surfer’s Point, Barbados

On the southernmost tip of Barbados you’ll find hollow and fast beginner-to-intermediate peaks scattered along the bay.

44. The Bubble, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

On the north shore off the coast of El Jablito, this expert right-hand tube works best when it’s head-high to double overhead.

Similar to many of the waves in the Canaries, the only thing that hurts this reef break are aggressive locals who resent giving visiting surfers a turn on “their” wave. Visitors may find themselves in a paddling race to get a shot at riding this classic face.

43. Strong surfing.

43. Black’s Beach, San Diego, California

One for seasoned professionals, Black’s Beach is one of the most powerful breaks in California.

San Diego’s best surfers flock here; it can get crowded on weekends.

42. Cape Hatteras: historic ride.

42. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, North Carolina

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has been popular since the 1970s and renowned for good surf caused by deadly hurricanes, which have over the years caused numerous shipwrecks and given it the nickname “the Atlantic graveyard.”

41. Surf pool, United Arab Emirates

The only artificial surf site to make the list, the wave pool at Wadi Adventure in the United Arab Emirates has converted its share of skeptics, inspiring some to proclaim it the future of surfing.

The surf pool can be adjusted to create rights, lefts and even barrels.

“It may not be the best wave in the world, but it’s the best wave pool in the world,” says Surfing Magazine editor in chief Taylor Paul.

40. Year-round action.

40. Biarritz, France

Surfers have been hitting this spot since the 1950s.

It pumps all year around thanks to ferocious North Atlantic swells that make their way down the Gulf de Gascogne.

39. Ponta Preta, Maio, Cape Verde

In Portuguese “Ponta Preta” means black point, and if this was a ski slope it would most definitely be a black run.

This break over exposed reef offers thrilling rides in winter for expert surfers.

38. Tofino, Vancouver Island, Canada

The surfing capital of Canada offers a picturesque break on the west coast of the island.

Unique feature: it’s surrounded by a looming rainforest.

Suitable for all abilities, the only prerequisite is a thick wetsuit — it gets cold out there.

37. Shark-free Oz surfing.

37. Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Popular among European backpackers, this mellow town is home to bars that religiously play reggae and waves along a 70-kilometer stretch of sand.

Shark nets have been implemented, but look out for the sunken ship.

36. Les Cavaliers, Anglet, France

Flanked by two rocky girders, surfers should use the channel at the right-hand side to paddle into this killer wave, which works perfectly in offshore winds with west swells.

Locals can be aggressive when they feel their waves have been stolen.

35. Killer Point, Taghazoute, Morocco

Popularized by hippies in the 1960s, this southern Moroccan village makes for an utterly unique surf trip.

A perfectly peeling wave breaks over a cliff shelf, which was named after the many killer whales in the area.

34. Pedra Branca Ericeira, Portugal

Along this sublime surf beach 48 kilometers north of Lisbon on the Atlantic coast you’ll find a sleepy fishing-village-turned-surfer town with six kilometers of stunning beach, including the sandbar Sao Lorenzo and the epic Pedra Branca reef break. It’s one of the best waves in Europe.

23. Cloudbreak, Tavarua Island, Fiji

This brutal, hollow wave forms about 1,600 meters off the coast, and holds for up to 500 meters, reaching 10 meters in size.

22. Superbank, Gold Coast, Australia

Superbank produces tubes and solid walls.

It’s crucial to save some energy for the two-kilometer walk along the beach back to where cars can be parked.

21. Surfrider Beach, Malibu, California

These small, perfectly formed crests where Johnny Fain and Miki Dora surfed in the 1950s are a great place to grab a longboard and surf Beach Boys-style. Unfortunately, the place is absolutely rammed for exactly this reason.

20. The slab wave that sparked a resurgence.

20. The Box, Margaret River Valley, Australia

The Box is possibly the world’s most venerable slab wave, meaning that it transitions quickly from deep to shallow water.

Named for its square barrel shape, the Box is said to be responsible for a resurgence among thrill seekers to search out dangerous slab waves around the world.

“It’s sharky as all hell, but worth it,” says Surfing Magazine editor in chief Taylor Paul. “It has an incredibly late takeoff and offers a short, powerful right-hand barrel.”

19. Jaws, Maui, Hawaii

The most iconic big wave reef break on the Hawaiian Islands takes its name from the ferocity of its legendary waves. “It’s a right and a left, and both offer giant barrels — and potentially deadly consequences — for anyone who’s crazy enough to ride them,” says Paul.

Waves can reach an unbelievable 27 meters in winter, when strong winds create the monster swells for which the break is famed.

In 2012, big wave legend Shane Dorian caught the extreme barrel ride that won Billabong’s XXL Ride of the Year, the accomplishment that’s finally getting him inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame this July.

12. Trestles, Orange County, California

The combination of easy paddle-outs and consistent high-quality breaks make the Trestles one of the most revered destinations in Southern California.

Five spots make up the Trestles and provide a variety of left- and right-handed barrels — the best surf (and the biggest crowds) are found at Lower Trestles.

“There’s no other wave in the world that allows for such high performance surfing, and the fact that the A-frame is located in Orange County — the heart of the surf industry — makes it the epicenter for progressive aerials and surfing,” says Surfing Magazine editor in chef Taylor Paul.

11. Waves, Maldives. Nothing not to like.

11. Sultans, North Male, Maldives

A consistent reef wave that’s absolutely pumping in the spring, the rocks at Sultans can be hazardous, so going with a live-aboard outfit such as Surf Atoll is recommended.

The expert wave spotters can also deliver surfers to other fine points among the Maldives’ 1,190 coral islands.